The Fire Brigade.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8151, 29 March 1906, Page 8

The Fire Brigade.

Committee of Knqiiiry Set Up

Evidence to be Taken.

A special meeting of the Borough Council was held last night, at which were present the Mayor, Mr M. Cohen, and Ore Abrahams, Clausen, Sinclair, Stubbs, Matbieson and Dunk.

The Mayor said the meeting was j called to discu3s those subjects in connection with the.Fire Brigade that were now matters of public notoriety. - Attention had been drawn in the press to such matters as appeared to need investigation. He had not sought per-, sonally to make any inquiries as to the details surrounding the platters now impressed upon the public mind, for the reason that he assumed it was a subject for the Council's enquiry and* it was therefore desirable to keep an open , and judicial mind upon the matter so as to deal fairly with- any. evidence that might be placed before tliem. -He thought it the duty of the Council to'go comprehensively into the whole matter, seeing that the though a volunteer body, was subsidised by the Borough, and there was ho doubt that it would be in the near future be called, upon to increase the subsidy allowed to a very much larger sum than at present. It therefore behoved them to go fully into the whole matter. The Mayor accordingly moved, and Cr Sinclair seconded : — " That a committee consisting of the whole Council be set up ,to enquire into all matters in connection. with Fire Brigade matters as to (a) The reasons leading up to Lieut. Browning's resignation and . a further enquiry, into disaffection, if any, amongst members of the brigade, (b) to enquire into the plant at present existing and the details of the requisition for further subsidy now-before the Council, (c) to enquire and report as to whether the time is opportune for the appointment of a paid officer to be placed in control of the brigade, (d) and all such other matters" pertaining to efficiency, administration and well being of the brigade and that all members of the brigade and others interested should be asked to attend the enquiry and give any evidence J »that will "assist the said committee in its consideration of "the matters submitted to them for enquiry." The motion was carried. Cr. Sinclair said that he. would have something to say on the matter when it came before the committee.

It was also decided, on the motion of Cr Abrahams, that the time and date of the meeting should be left to the Mayor and that members of the brigade be informed of the enquiry. The Mayor said that • the enquiry would be open to the public and the fullest investigation made so that if there were any matters to be uncovered they would be uncovered.

The matter then dropped.